Hop-A-Jet Flight 823

{{Short description|February 2024 aviation accident in Florida, USA}}

{{Infobox aircraft occurrence

| name = Hop-A-Jet Flight 823

| image = PW4 3016 N823KD cl604.jpg

| image_upright = 1.15

| caption = N823KD, the Bombardier Challenger 604 aircraft involved in the crash, pictured exactly one year before the crash

| occurrence_type = Accident

| date = {{start date|2024|02|09}}

| summary = Crashed on approach to the airport, under investigation

| site = Interstate 75, near Naples Airport, Naples, Florida, United States

| coordinates = {{Coord|26.1925552|-81.73612|type:event|display=inline,title|format=dms}}

| total_injuries = 4

| aircraft_type = Bombardier Challenger 604

| operator = Hop-A-Jet

| origin = Ohio State University Airport, Columbus, Ohio, United States

| destination = Naples Airport, Naples, Florida, United States

| tail_number = N823KD

| ICAO = HPJ823

| callsign = HOP-A-JET 823

| occupants = 5

| passengers = 2

| crew = 3

| fatalities = 2

| injuries = 3

| survivors = 3

| ground_injuries = 1 (minor)

}}

Hop-A-Jet Flight 823 was a chartered U.S. domestic flight operated by Hop-A-Jet from Ohio State University Airport in Columbus, Ohio, to Naples Airport in Naples, Florida. Shortly before landing on February 9, 2024, the pilots reported a dual engine failure and attempted to land on Interstate 75. The aircraft, a Bombardier Challenger 604, was destroyed and consumed by a post-crash fire. Both pilots were killed, but the two passengers and the sole flight attendant on board survived.

Background

= Aircraft =

The aircraft involved was a Bombardier Challenger 604 with manufacturer's serial number 5584 and registered as N823KD.{{Cite news |last=Fadulu |first=Lola |last2=Jiménez |first2=Jesus |date=February 9, 2024 |title=Plane Crashes on Florida Highway, Killing 2, Authorities Say |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/09/us/plane-crash-florida-highway-naples.html |access-date=February 9, 2024 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} The aircraft was built in 2004{{Cite web |title=Registry for N823KD |url=https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/NNumberResult?NNumberTxt=823KD |access-date=February 14, 2024 |website=Federal Aviation Administration}} and could carry up to 12 passengers. The aircraft was owned by East Shore Aviation LLC and was operated by Ace Aviation Services, doing business as Hop-A-Jet Worldwide Jet Charter, a private jet travel company based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The airplane's most recent continuous airworthiness inspection was completed on January 5, 2024, at which time the aircraft had accumulated 9,763 total hours of operation.

= Crew =

The aircraft was under the command of Captain Edward Daniel Murphy (50) and First Officer Ian Frederick Hofmann (65). The captain had accrued 10,525 total hours of flight experience, of which 2,808 hours were in the Bombardier Challenger 600 series. The first officer had accrued 24,618 total hours of flight experience, of which 138 hours were in the Bombardier Challenger 600 series.

Accident

As the plane approached Naples Airport, the pilots radioed to air traffic controllers that both engines had failed, later adding that they would not be able to make it to the runway. The pilots attempted to land on Interstate 75 near mile marker 107. As the aircraft approached the road surface, it collided with a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck and a Nissan Armada SUV, erupted in flames, and came to rest against a concrete wall at the side of the southbound lanes.{{Cite web |title=Accident Bombardier CL-600-2B16 Challenger 604 N823KD |url=https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/351596 |access-date=February 11, 2024 |website=Aviation Safety Network}}{{Cite news |last=Dolan |first=Paul |date=February 9, 2024 |title=At least 2 dead after twin-engine plane crashes on I-75 in Collier County |url=https://winknews.com/2024/02/09/plane-crash-i-75-collier-county/ |access-date=February 9, 2024 |work=WINK-TV |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Stimson |first=Brie |date=February 10, 2024 |title=Audio released from deadly Florida interstate plane crash: 'We've lost both engines' |url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/audio-released-deadly-florida-interstate-plane-crash-weve-lost-both-engines |access-date=February 11, 2024 |work=Fox News |language=en-US}} Both pilots were killed, but the two passengers and flight attendant on board survived.{{Cite news |last=Trautvetter |first=Chad |last2=Thurber |first2=Matt |date=February 10, 2024 |title=Hop-A-Jet Challenger 604 Business Jet Crashes on I-75 in Southwest Florida |url=http://backend.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2024-02-10/hop-jet-challenger-604-crashes-i-75-southwest-florida |access-date=February 15, 2024 |work=Aviation International News}} The flight attendant was able to help the passengers evacuate through the baggage compartment door in the tail section of the airplane.{{Cite news |last=Rodriguez |first=Tomas |date=February 19, 2024 |title=Report details how flight attendant of downed plane helped passengers escape before explosion |url=https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/local/2024/02/19/flight-attendant-helped-2-passengers-escape-plane-before-explosion-bombardier-challenger-600/72663821007/ |access-date=February 26, 2024 |work=Naples Daily News |language=en-US}} The driver of the pickup truck, a 48-year-old Naples man, suffered minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital.{{Cite news |last=Glaun |first=Dan |date=February 10, 2024 |title=All occupants of truck and SUV damaged in Naples highway plane crash survived, FHP says |url=https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/2024/02/10/naples-florida-plane-crash-occupants-of-truck-and-suv-on-1-75-survived/72551343007/ |access-date=February 26, 2024 |work=Naples Daily News |language=en-US}} The aircraft was destroyed by the post-crash fire.

= Flight data recorder timeline =

After a preliminary review of the data recovered from the airplane's flight data recorder, the NTSB provided the following timeline of key events:

Times in EST, February 9, 2024

3:08 p.m. – The Naples Airport tower controller cleared the flight to land on runway 23. According to Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS–B) track data, the airplane was about {{convert|6.5|mi|nmi km}} north of the airport at an altitude of about {{convert|2,000|ft}} and traveling at {{convert|166|knots}}.
3:09:33 p.m. – "L ENGINE OIL PRESSURE" master warning activates, indicating the oil pressure in the left engine is critically low.{{Cite web |date=January 2004 |title=Bombardier Challenger 604 Pilot Training Guide |url=https://www.smartcockpit.com/docs/CL_604-POWER_PLANT.pdf |access-date=February 24, 2024 |publisher=Bombardier Aviation |pages=18–34}}
3:09:34 p.m. – "R ENGINE OIL PRESSURE" master warning activates, indicating the oil pressure in the right engine is critically low. The system alerted pilots of these two warnings with the illumination of a red "Master Warning" light, a red message on the engine-indicating and crew-alerting system and a triple chime voice advisory ("Engine oil").
3:09:40 p.m. – "ENGINE" master warning activates, indicating an abnormal condition in the fan rotor, compressor rotor, or inter-turbine temperature.
3:10:05 p.m. – The crew radios the tower controller, "…lost both engines… emergency… making an emergency landing." The tower controller acknowledged the call and cleared the airplane to land. The aircraft was at an altitude of about {{convert|1,000|ft}} and traveling at {{convert|122|knots|mph km/h}}.
3:10:12 p.m. – The crew replies to the tower controller, "We are cleared to land but we are not going to make the runway… ah… we have lost both engines." The aircraft was at an altitude of about {{convert|900|ft}} and traveling at {{convert|115|knots}}. There were no further transmissions from the flight crew.
3:10:47 p.m. – ADS–B track data ends directly over Interstate 75.

Investigation

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is conducting an investigation into the accident. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), GE Aerospace, Hop-A-Jet Worldwide Jet Charter, Bombardier Inc. and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada are providing support as members of the investigation party.{{Cite report |url=https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193769/pdf |title=Aviation Investigation Preliminary Report |date=February 27, 2024 |publisher=National Transportation Safety Board |docket=ERA24FA110 |access-date=February 27, 2024}}

The southbound lanes of Interstate 75 remained closed until Sunday, February 11, as crews examined the wreckage. Before the road was reopened, the wreckage was moved to a secure facility in Jacksonville for additional evaluation. The agency said it would also send the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder to agency headquarters in Washington, D.C.{{Cite news |last=Cimini |first=Kate |date=February 11, 2024 |title=I-75 southbound in Naples reopens to traffic after Bombardier jet crash Friday |url=https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/2024/02/11/i-75-southbound-in-naples-reopens-to-traffic-after-jet-crash/72565045007/ |access-date=February 26, 2024 |work=Naples Daily News |language=en-US}}